Preliminary Remark

In the context of the activity of the Cultural Center of the Archdiocese of Vienna, a group of men and women working in the arts was formed in 1995 to discuss questions concerning the arts in general and sacred art in particular. The impulse for this work was given by Archbishop Dr. Christoph Schönborn who has himself presented the themes of Church and Art and Art and True Presence in two publications.
Ever since then, representatives of the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture, music, and literature have been meeting regularly in open conversation to find answers to fundamental questions concerning artistic activity. It is not the purpose of this exchange of thoughts to formulate binding "guidelines"; rather, in a time of a dismaying loss of values, the concern is to give impetus for thought, even beyond this group, in order to offer aid in understanding the nature of art and the particular requirements in the field of sacred art.
Now a common report has been elaborated under the title, Christian Sacred Art for the Proclamation of the Faith.